POISONOUS PLANTS 171 



patches of extravasated blood, the right heart is engorged, 

 and the left nearly empty. 



Tpeatment. — If possible, the stomach is to be emptied by 

 emetics or the pump. Tannin or iodine in potassium iodide 

 may be exhibited as alkaloid precipitants, but with doubtful 

 value. As physiological antidotes to the depressant action 

 on the heart, digitalis, ether, or atropine may be given. 

 Warmth and friction will assist in stimulating the heart 

 and lungs. 



Chemical Diag-nosis. — Aconitine and pseudo-aconitine 

 (contained in Indian aconite root) are isolated in an impure 

 condition in the routine alkaloid separation. Chemical 

 tests are very unreliable, though when pseudo-aconitine is 

 present Vitali's test (see Atropine) is given. Concentrated 

 sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid, warmed with aconitine, 

 both eventually give a reddish-violet colour. But the test 

 is absolutely unreliable, for almost always there are traces 

 of organic bases, or ptomaines, which behave similarly. 



Aconitine induces a -burning, tingling effect, followed by 

 numbness, on the tongue or lips, and this observation has 

 value (use with caution !). The only satisfactory proof is 

 by an observation of the physiological effects on a small 

 animal. 



REFERENCES TO ACONITUM. 



» R. C. Moore, Vet. Jl., 1909, p. 136. 



2 W. Graham Gillam, Vet. Beoord, 1906, p. 88. 



•' C. Morgan, Veterinarian, 1882, p. 457. 



Helleborus. 



The three species of helleborus found in Great Britain are 

 Helleborus niger (Fig. 16), Christmas rose or black hellebore, 

 native to South Eastern Europe, and a garden plant in 

 this country, H. viridis, green hellebore or bear's-foot, 

 a European plant sometimes found in American gardensj 

 and H. foetidus, or setter-wort. Care must be exercised 

 in distinguishing these from the so-called white hellebore 



